The Netherlands-Thai Chamber of Commerce (Bangkok) was established in 1991 by a group of Dutch businessmen. At the time, Dutch investments in Thailand were increasing rapidly and it was felt that a more formal representation of the Dutch private sector was necessary.

The main objective of the Netherlands-Thai Chamber of Commerce (NTCC) was, and still is today, to provide information and services concerning trade, commerce, industry, finance and investment in Thailand as well as in the Netherlands. To expand and facilitate trade between the two countries the NTCC represents Dutch business interests in relation to the government of Thailand, Thai opinion leaders and decision makers, to other Chambers of Commerce, and to the media in Thailand. The NTCC also promotes learning from each other, creating partnerships and building bridges between Dutch and Thai companies.

The NTCC is a membership organization. It is fully self-funded with no financial support from government or any other Dutch or Thai external sources. At the moment almost all Dutch companies operating in Thailand are member. We currently have 260 members; a sharp increase over the past years demonstrates that the NTCC meets the needs of Dutch businesses in Thailand.

Over the years the NTCC has developed a host of activities for its members, such as:

Networking opportunities

Networking is an important activity for NTCC members. Recognizing this, the Chamber organises regular informal networking cocktails as well as lunch/dinner talks and seminars with guest speakers who address current economic issues, management issues, issues on sustainability and information about surrounding countries such as Myanmar etc. Here as well we see the aspect of learning from specialist speakers as well as from other members.

Once a year a gala evening is organised during which several Business Excellence Awards are presented to Dutch or Thai companies that have excelled in promoting Thai-Dutch business relations. The increasing interest in this event is proof of the interest companies attach to ever improving Thai-Dutch business relations.

Trade promotion

The NTCC has relevant documentation available about importers, exporters and manufacturers in Thailand. It has extensive contacts with the Thai private sector and government so that Dutch companies can be directed to the proper sources/agencies.

In addition, the NTCC advises Dutch business people on how to do business in Thailand. For this they can rely on the experience of other NTCC members, but also on the advice of a number of professional organizations such as banks, lawyers and accounting firms.

On a yearly base hundreds of Dutch and Thai businesses contact the chamber for referrals, commercial information, business assistance, seminars, social events and publications.

Magazine

The Chamber publishes a quarterly magazine "Commerce". The magazine is distributed in Thailand and in the Netherlands and contains articles that are of interest to members and to anyone who is involved in trade between the two countries.

Lobbying

There are some 30 foreign Chambers of Commerce in Thailand. The Presidents of the Foreign Chambers meet monthly to discuss issues that are of interest to the foreign investor. These issues are then raised with the Thai government so that solutions can be found.

European ASEAN Business Center

The NTCC participates in the recently established European ASEAN Business Center, set up with the support of the European Union. The EABC intends to contribute to improve the European trade and investment environment in Thailand and to increase European exports and investment in Thailand. More specifically, the EABC is set up to facilitate market access for European companies in Thailand and to promote Thailand and ASEAN as high potential markets for European companies. Some 10 working groups are preparing issue papers, on behalf of the European business community, supplying valuable information to the EU team, which is currently negotiating an FTA agreement with Thailand.